Enhanced thermomechanical properties of a nematic liquid crystal elastomer doped with gold nanoparticles

Here we report the development of a thermomechanical nematic liquid crystal elastomer (LCE) actuator containing gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). Embedding a low concentration of AuNPs enhances the thermal conductivity of the actuator with minimal effect on the elasticity of the cross-linked polymer. Doping LCEs with AuNPs provides a means to improve the material response time to external stimuli. Under fast heating conditions, the AuNP-doped LCE actuators exhibited more than a 100% increase in the rate of change of strain with respect to time.